Stars 500k Tourney Report (LOOOONNNG)

Firefly · #1 07-11-2005, 02:24 PM

Heh. I've always wanted to do one of these, and I finally got a tourney where I could do one.
A bit of background- I'm 18 (younger then ZeeJustin even [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]) and won a couple of the sats to the Stars 700k and 500k and decided to actually use the seat. I'm usually a limit player - 1/2 to be exact. So i'm still a bit of a tourney n00b, but lurking here helps alot. I'll take feedback on any of my tourney hands, any advice apreciated.
Anyhow., on to the tourney!
Hand 1)First big hand- Villan is terrible so i was looking to extract as many chips as possible- good, bad?
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t20 (9 handed) converter

BB (t2510)
UTG (t2340)
UTG+1 (t2490)
MP1 (t2720)
MP2 (t3060)
Hero (t2680)
CO (t2010)
Button (t2250)
SB (t2420)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
UTG calls t20, 3 folds, Hero raises to t80, 4 folds, UTG calls t60.

Flop: (t190) T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 5[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
UTG bets t100, Hero calls t100.

Turn: (t390) Q[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
UTG bets t140, Hero raises to t400, UTG calls t260.

River: (t1190) 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)
UTG bets t100, Hero calls t100.

Final Pot: t1390

Results in white below: 
UTG has Qc Ks (one pair, queens).
Hero has Kc Kh (one pair, kings).
Outcome: Hero wins t1390. 

Hand 2) So i'm hovering around 3k when this hand comes up. Villan in this hand is a pretty fishy player, but i hate the way i played this. My head told me to fold, but my heart wanted to raise, i'm just glad it worked out.
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t50 (9 handed) converter

MP3 (t8690)
CO (t3480)
Button (t2180)
Hero (t3170)
BB (t3840)
UTG (t1105)
UTG+1 (t865)
MP1 (t3030)
MP2 (t5010)

Preflop: Hero is SB with J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
7 folds, Hero raises to t150, BB calls t100.

Flop: (t300) Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets t150, BB raises to t300, Hero raises to t500, BB calls t200.

Turn: (t1300) K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets t500, BB calls t500.

River: (t2300) J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets t500, BB folds.

Final Pot: t2800

Results in white below: 
Hero has Jc As (two pair, jacks and sevens).
Outcome: Hero wins t2800. 

Hand 3) Near the 1st break i get this BB special, which proved to be a curse- villan is the same as the last hand. Played good, ya?
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t100 (9 handed) converter

CO (t8540)
Button (t3605)
SB (t1930)
Hero (t4395)
UTG (t1315)
UTG+1 (t1205)
MP1 (t340)
MP2 (t2980)
MP3 (t7060)

Preflop: Hero is BB with 5[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img].
UTG calls t100, 1 fold, MP1 calls t100, 4 folds, SB completes, Hero checks.

Flop: (t400) T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], T[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (4 players)
SB checks, Hero bets t200, UTG calls t200, MP1 folds, SB folds.

Turn: (t800) 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets t500, UTG calls t500.

River: (t1800) 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)
Hero bets t515, UTG calls t515 (All-In).

Final Pot: t2830

Results in white below: 
Hero has 5d Th (three of a kind, tens).
UTG has Js Ts (three of a kind, tens).
Outcome: UTG wins t2830. 

I get down to 2.5k after a continuation bet with AQ gets reraised.

Moved to a new table and I double up with AQo vs 98s that pushed from the CO and i called on the button. Brought me to about 5k.

Lose a tough one with QQ vs KJ to take me down to bring me down to 3k

With blinds now at 300/600 and a 50 chip ante I double up with 55 vs J9, which bring me to 7.5k

I call a raise from a tilting player in this same level with KQo- flop comes K-high and i c/r all-in, he calls with ATo and MHIG- up to 15k

With blinds at 300/600 still, I open raise in MP with QJs- BB calls, flop is a dream QJx. BB pushes with AT and MHIG to bring me to 20k.

I lose KK vs QTo from a shortstack that would have brought me to 24k and i could have really started to dominate the table. As is I have 19k.

With blinds and Antes at 600/1200 with a75 and with me at 14k I push KQo UTG. I had been tight (read: card dead) for awhile and was praying not to be called. Shortstack called with AQo and I was down to 8.5k. The Push UTG was probally a bad play in hindsight

I double up with A6o vs Q7o from the button- he hit a 7 on the flop i hit an Ace on the river. Bring me to 12k. Blinds were 1000/2000 a100 at this point.
With the bubble approaching I fold 55 in MP3 with big stacks in the BB. The money was important to me though.

We get in the money and with blinds at 1500/3000 a150 and my stack dwindling at 10k I push A2o UTG, get called by AQ but my luckbox places a 2 on the flop and MHIG.

Same blinds I reraise a large CO pf bet with KTs. CO had A4 but I spike a T on the flop and MHIG and i'm at 37k
Blinds at 3000/6000 and I get all in with AK against QJo- I get up to 76k.

With blinds criminally high at 4000/8000 I push A6s in the CO, button calls with QQ, an ace comes on the flop but with the turn brings a 4th heart to give QQ a flush. I'm on the respirator with 20k chips

I double with a 'ballsy' push of 77 against K6s. Ballsy because we were about 3 spots from another $300 pay increase.

Hand 4)My bustout hand: Is a push good here or should i have been waiting- i don't get deep into tourneys alot so lemme know how this play was
PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em Tourney, Big Blind is t8000 (9 handed) converter

Hero (t31738)
SB (t108330)
BB (t164604)
UTG (t100528)
UTG+1 (t135638)
MP1 (t40446)
MP2 (t196368)
MP3 (t168061)
CO (t22288)

Preflop: Hero is Button with 8[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 9[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img].
6 folds, Hero raises to t31338, 1 fold, BB calls t23338.

Flop: (t57876) 8[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], 4[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], K[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (2 players)

Turn: (t57876) K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] (2 players)

River: (t57876) T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (2 players)

Final Pot: t57876

Results in white below: 
BB has Kc Ah (three of a kind, kings).
Hero has 8c 9d (two pair, kings and eights).
Outcome: BB wins t57876. 

I'd like to thank all the fourm posters who have improved my game drastically. Specifically TheTimeisUp and Chief 911 who are my favourite targets to sweat. CSC, Strassa2 and all the others have been huge in making this tourney noob a quality tournament player.
And BTW- webcast guy, you are my hero that was soooo cool to listen to [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img].

RLilley · #2 07-11-2005, 02:50 PM

Haha, thanks. It's fun watching people win money.

Jurollo · #3 07-11-2005, 03:19 PM

At the risk of sounding like a prick here is what I think of the 3 hands you highlighted.

Hand 1 - I HATE flat calling his lead on the flop. A ten is a dangerous card for straight possibilities and their are two diamonds out there. If you are going to flat call his lead what do you do if a 3rd diamond comes on the turn and he leads again? This is a situation you dont want to be put in so raise his lead. Maybe to T300-T400. Granted you generally will not extract as much as you did here but you likely won't let this hand bust you either.

Hand 2 - You know you didn't play the hand well so we don't need to say that. However, I think your biggest mistake came preflop. AJ is a good hand, not a great hand, after the reraise flat call and see the flop, AJ is definately not a hand to reraise a reraise preflop. Otherwise I am out on the flop on the raise although the villian's raise amounts are weird to me it isnt worth calling with AJ against a likely middle pocket pair.

Hand 3 - Tough spot here. I think anyway you play it ends the same, however, the chance you may have to save some chips is to check raise. After checking if it checks around you are almost 100% sure you are good, and you can reevaluate with a probe bet if a 3rd club hits. However, if someone bets at it you can put in a healthy raise, if you get reraised all in you may be able to even lay down your weak kicker to another obvious T.

Hand 3 - Personally, I wait for a better spot. This isn't criminal, but the blinds will be calling with a bigger range here due to the fact that your bet screams steal. The blinds just passed so I am waiting for a face card or something suited so if I do get called I'll be in better shape.

Overall nice run in the tourney. I know very well that sometimes in the heat of the battle it is tough to do the exact correct thing but these are just some suggestions on the lines I take on these hands.
~Justin

AliasMrJones · #4 07-11-2005, 03:26 PM

You simply have to push 89 on the button with 4 BB's left in your stack.

Firefly · #5 07-11-2005, 04:06 PM

It's okay Jurollo- I take criticsim well, especially from players that are better then moi :P. Hand 2 was ugly. I knew that.
Hand 1- Villan was just so baddd that I felt this line had some merit, but looking back, it's clear that i made a mistake.
I like your line with hand 3. I'm a limit player so it's like hit trips=bet. It's something that i have to work on.

Thanks a bunch
Alex

GrunchCan · #6 07-11-2005, 06:52 PM

I'll add my bad advice to the questions that haven't been answered yet.

[ QUOTE ]
I get down to 2.5k after a continuation bet with AQ gets reraised.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know the game situation when you made the continuation bet, so take this with a grain of salt. But for me, when I get short stacked, I stop making continuation bets. That's a long-ball type of play that you can't afford. Push & take it then, or check-something based on the hand. Don't get cute with a short stack.

Next...

In hand 4 you have virtually no stack. You have 98o. 6 players have folded to you on the button. Clear push for me. The cards matter less than the situation. Your push only has to make it through 2 players in order to keep you breathing & even increase your stack by a lot. In fact, with a stack as small as yours was there, I'd push almost any 2 cards if its folded to me.

davidross · #7 07-11-2005, 07:30 PM

It was fun to play with you for th ebrief time I was at your table, before i had my brain fart.

I think you played almost all those hands the way I play my limit hands. You play mostly limit and it shows. With time you'll get the nuances of no limit and use the bet sizes to maximaise your play. Use your winnings wisely and play as much NL as you can.